Servant of Lust
by dantesdarkqueen
Summary: The servant is a ghost in the background, always watching, always listening. She knows far more than people suspect, and keeps her feelings to herself. This is the story of Ialessa, maid to first the Glassred and then the Venomania households.
1. Servant of Lust

**Summary: **The servant is a ghost in the background, always watching, always listening. She knows far more than people suspect, and keeps her feelings to herself. This is the story of Ialessa, maid to both the Glassred and Venomania households.

**Disclaimer: ** Setting belongs to mothy, Gakupo, Luka, Gumi, KAITO, Miku, and IA do not belong to me. This take on the song is wholly mine.

**Queen's Quornor: **I suppose I should start by saying that Gakupo is easily my favorite Vocaloid, and "The Madness of Duke Venomania" is my favorite song by mothy. It's also one of the coolest vids I've come across involving hand-drawn Vocaloids. That being said, I really never planned on writing fanfiction about it. Normally I stick with video game fics, and leave this fandom be. Then one day I was listening to the song, and started wondering about all the other women who wound up in the duke's harem. Only about half have placeable names - who were these other women? Coincidentally, one my best friends has been heavily into the Vippaloids lately, and introduced me to a couple of their songs. At first I had a funny idea about Ritsu being mistaken for a woman and winding up in Venomania's harem, but then this thought about IA arose, and I realized it might work better if I stuck with actual Vocaloids. So, here we are. Initially I thought about trying to get someone to do a song for this twoshot, but as I don't know anyone with any Vocaloid voicebanks, let alone IA's, I thought I'd let it remain a fanfic.

Servant of Lust

_ He's with Gumina again._

_ I suppose I should not be surprised. She is his favorite, because she was his friend when we were children. It does not matter that she taunted him when they grew older, and started telling him such hurtful lies about his looks and worth. He's always cared for her, regardless of the things she used to say to him. He calls for her more often than any other woman, at least since I've joined his household. _

_ Once he's finished with her, I'll escort her back to her little room in the basement, and bring him a light snack before he sleeps. _

_ I'm technically a member of his harem, just like Gumina and the others. But he doesn't ask for me very often. I've been a servant of the Glassred family since I was a very small child. Whenever she played with him, I was sent to accompany them as her handmaiden and companion. Sateriajis never took much note of me, but I certainly paid attention to him. I was charmed by the bright purple hair and eyes that people always mocked, and whenever the bullying got to the point that he would run away, I had to fight to remain with my lady, not run after him and hug him until the tears stopped._

_ As we grew older, he became even more handsome. But he was very self-conscious, and he would often turn to Gumina for reassurance. But after some time, her kind words became hurtful slurs; she would belittle him, and say that he was worthless. There were times I wanted to rush over and strike her, so cruel did she become. _

_ But I never did. It's not a servant's place to interfere, no matter how much my heart broke for him. _

_ Gumina would sometimes send me on errands at night, carrying notes to her many admirers and friends. There was one dark night when I noticed two shadows against the side of a building, heard voices in the alley opposite. I can still remember my pulse racing when I recognized Sateriajis' voice, heard him exchange his soul for the ability to attract all those women who had mocked him, to make them all fall beneath his spell. I saw the other shadow envelop his, and quickly hid myself when he began walking from the alley. He emerged a totally different man than the young duke I had always loved; this man possessed the lazy grace of a predator, and held his head high while he scanned the empty streets. I watched him depart in the direction of his manor, then I slid to the cobblestones and wept, losing Gumina's letters in the process. She raged at me the next morning, but I did not mind the tongue-lashing. It was the beginning of my atonement, my punishment for allowing him to fall to these depths. My heart has ached since that fell night, and it continues to squeeze painfully whenever his shadow crosses my mind. _

_ I should have said something long ago, before he traded his soul. But it is far too late now. _

_ The effects of his enchantment were subtle, yet immediate. Women, both commoners and nobles, started to vanish. There was never any trace of them, and it seemed that people forgot about them after a time. Even Gumina lost her concern for her missing friends. _

_ Then one day, Sateriajis came calling. He wore a dark cloak and asked to speak with my lady. As he made himself comfortable before the fire, I served him tea, careful to avoid looking directly at him. Even when he threw back his hood, I did not allow myself to meet his gaze. I kept my place as a servant, although my tongue itched to speak with him, to tell him what I had seen. _

_ Then instant Gumina swept into the parlor, she was snared. I saw her mouth open in astonishment, then her eyes went blank and she gave the duke an adoring smile. From my place in the shadows I watched him rise to his feet and open his arms; she rushed into them, clinging tightly as she swore undying love for him. _

_ His expression tore at my heart, for it was the softest I have ever seen him wear in all the years I have known him. This was why he had made that cursed deal - he had feelings for her, and she had scorned his love with a mocking smile and cruel words. _

_ In that instant, I began to hate my lady. She was the reason he had damned himself. She was the cause of all his pain. _

_ After she disappeared, I struggled with my own feelings for a few days. I have loved him since we were children, although it was a forbidden affection. I am a servant, and he is a duke. It is not my place to love him. But I could not help myself. Though it is a sin, I gave him my heart years ago. _

_ So I fled the Glassred manor, and found my way to the Venomania estate. _

_ He seemed surprised when I greeted him, but I was even more shocked: I did not feel any mystical pull towards him. My mind remained clear. All I felt was my usual elation at seeing him again, the joy of being near him. If I so wished, I could have turned and walked away, as no other woman has. I curtsied to him - which I have yet to see any other lady do upon arriving at his mansion - and offered my services as a maid._

_ He stared at me with those glowing violet eyes, then welcomed me into his harem. _

_ Sateriajis has been my first and only lover. My few nights with him have been intense, and lasted so long I could scarcely walk in the morning. I would not have thought him such a considerate lover, but I believe part of his pleasure is derived from seeing his partner's passion. I believe the only reason he does not often call for me to lay with him is because he knows I am not within his thrall, and he is unsure what to make of it. As for myself, I continue to keep my love a secret and serve him without complaint. I guide the women to and from his chambers, cook his meals, clean the manor, and launder his clothes knowing that he is beyond saving. I just want to be near him, and make his life as happy as I can, so he will have many good memories to comfort him in Hell. _

_ It sounds as though they are finished. Soon he will ring the bell, and I will take Gumina back to the basement. At this rate, it will not be long ere she produces an heir. One of the girls, Lukana Octo, is already with child and another, Mikulia Greonio, suspects she might also be carrying. _

_ If I have a child with him, I want it to have his purple hair and eyes, not my pale pink tresses and blue eyes. I would rather it look like nobility, so no one suspects it to have common blood. _

_ There is the bell. Time to fetch Gumina. _


	2. Slave of Lust

**Summary: **The servant is a ghost in the background, always watching, always listening. She knows far more than people suspect, and keeps her feelings to herself. This is the story of Ialessa, maid to both the Glassred and Venomania households.

**Disclaimer: ** Setting belongs to mothy, Gakupo, Luka, Gumi, KAITO, Miku, and IA do not belong to me.

**Queen's Quornor: **This was what first sprang to mind when I got this idea. The guilt and pain, the fear of being left alone. The Venomania character always struck me as being a very lonely man, and I believe that is the root of his deal with the devil. So long as he had all those women, he could pretend they loved him. He could substitute sex and blind obedience for love and acceptance. He would not be alone, ever again. His death at the end always breaks my heart, because he sold his soul for nothing. He is even more alone at the end then he ever was before the trade. He may have epitomized the sin of lust, but I think his problem was more of loneliness than desire.

Slave of Lust

_Something is different about this lady._

_ I meet her at the door while Sateriajis finishes dressing. As per his orders, she is to remain in the entry until he arrives, at which time she will fall beneath his spell and join his harem. But something is off. This lady is certainly pretty, with long golden curls and huge blue eyes. Her figure is slender, not very curvy, and she is garbed in an expensive blue and white ballgown. She is holding her hands to her chest, as though attempting to keep her heart from pounding out of place. Her eyes are darting about the room in a nervous fashion. I have seen many women act in this manner since becoming my lord's servant, yet something..._

_ I am not sure what it is that I do not like about her. I have never felt this restless about another lady before. But something keeps nagging at my senses, and I'm not sure what - _

_ Ah! There is my lord now! _

_ He strolls lazily down the corridor, his violet eyes glowing in the light of the torches. His lips are curved in a welcoming smile, and once again I am struck by how handsome he is. My lord Sateriajis may not have me in his thrall, as he does the other ladies, but I can never deny how the mere sight of him affects me. Those beautiful eyes flick in my direction, then rake over the new arrival's satin-clad body. His lips curl even further._

_ "Go prepare some tea, Ialessa," he tells me. "We'll take it in the parlor."_

_ "Yes, my lord." I depart the entry, keeping my misgivings to myself. His orders are not merely to prepare tea and refreshments, but also to plump up the pillows and cushions on the sofa in the parlor. Whenever a new lady arrives at the manor, Sateriajis often claims her there, in a setting both neutral and intimate. Noble ladies tend to relax more before the fire, even after they have fallen beneath his spell, and commoners enjoy the novelty of being in a room most often associated with aristocracy. If there were any reservations left in a woman's mind prior to a few hours in the parlor, they are always gone by the time I am called to guide the new arrivals into the basement. The only exception has been myself. _

_ I still have water left from luncheon. Sateriajis prefers that I keep hot water ready at all times, in case someone comes seeking entry into his harem. He lulls them with tea, and as their guard falls so do their clothes. Then they are his, and I busy myself with menial tasks until he rings the bell. I think today I shall wash the windows until my lord summons me to remove the new lady from his prescence. _

_ As I spoon the tea leaves into the strainer, I hear a pained cry from the corridor. My heart races when recognition strikes. That was Sateriajis!_

_ The teapot abandoned, I hurry to the entry. My lord and his newest lady are silhouetted against the open door, bathed in golden sunlight. It takes a moment before my mind registers what lies before me. _

_ My lord, crumbling to the floor. The lady, now revealed as a young man with blue hair, standing above him with a blade in hand. His golden wig is clutched tightly in his other fist, and his face is twisted with hatred and jubilation. The dagger glistens with blood, slowly slipping down the length of the blade._

_ "I'm taking her back," he snarls. "You stole her from me. But now she's free. I hope you burn in Hell, you bastard!"_

_ I shrink back at his words, covering my mouth with my hands. It never occurred to me that these women had people still looking for them. The aristocrats I served never seemed to care when their wives and daughters went missing. Even Gumina's family, the noble Glassreds, gave up when told that there was no trace of her. I had assumed the same to be true of the other women. _

_ As my lord falls upon the floor, an outburst of sound arises from the stairwell leading to the basement. Women's voices, all crying out in astonishment and dismay. At first I think they are protesting the harm done to our lord, but as the door flies open and they all begin streaming out, I realize such is not the case. None of them spare Sateriajis more than a glance as they race towards the sunlight. Mikulia flies into the arms of the murderer, crying as though her heart has broken. He drops the dagger and wig, wrapping her in his embrace, and guides her from the manor. One after another, all of the women vanish into the light. _

_ I can only cling to the doorframe, one hand fisted tightly against my mouth. It is all that is keeping my screams from escaping. My tears, however, flow freely down my cheeks to soak into my dress. This cannot be real. It cannot be. There has not been enough time..._

_ Only one woman remains. Gumina, my former lady, has been slower to leave than the others. She strides from the basement, her naked feet slapping against the tile in a steady rhythm. I am awarded no acknowledgement, which is to be expected. She only took notice of me whenever she needed me, and I imagine she holds no kind thoughts regarding my role in her life here. As always, I remain beneath her notice._

_ But as she steps into the light, she hesitates. She glances back towards our lord, and he stretches a hand in her direction, trying to keep her with him. "Wait!" he chokes. "I forgot...to tell...you..."_

_ She is gone._

_ His hand falls, the fingers scrabbling at the tiled floor. The sight wrenches me from my stupor, and I crawl over to him, laying a hand against his back as I kneel in his blood. "My lord!" _

_ His head rolls to the side, allowing him to view me with one tear-filled eye. "Ialessa..." _

_ I grab for his hand, raising it to my cheek. My fingers grip tightly, trying to keep him with me. "No, you cannot die! You cannot!" My voice catches as it all spills out; I have to tell him before it is too late, even though it is a sin. "I have not told you that I love you yet!"_

_ I press my cheek harder against his palm, wishing there was more time. Praying there is something, some way to save him. Hoping to stay with him just a little longer. "I've always loved you, even as a child! You cannot go! Please," I sob, watching my tears fall into his blood."Please don't die. Don't leave me!"_

_ His fingers flex against my cheek, the merest of strokes. "Ia-!" The rest of my name chokes off in his throat, and he shudders. As the spasm passes, his hand relaxes. The light fades from his eyes. _

_ I hear a scream, as though from a great distance. It sounds like a wounded animal. One of the women, perhaps?_

_ It is only when I feel the rawness of my throat that I realize the scream came from me._

_ His hand remains in mine, still warm. His handsome face is frozen in a rictus of agony and fear, as though his body knows what awaits his soul. I reach out with trembling fingers to brush the hair from his unseeing eyes, and his tears smear against my digits. He was crying at the end. Had he finally realized the full extent of his exchange?_

_ My eyes burn with the salt of my tears, and as I blink away the pain I notice his blood in the sunlight. There is a purplish cast to it, as though something else was mixed into it. Is this an effect of the deal he made with the devil? _

_ Or maybe..._

_ I reach for the dagger. It is heavier than I thought, and as I raise it before me I notice a colorless film near the hilt, at the base of the blade. Most of it is concealed by my lord's blood, but a bit still gleams in the sun. Poison?_

_ I fling the thing as far as I can from my lord. It flashes as it clatters onto the walk outside, and I must avert my gaze. It is far too bright. _

_ My lord - my love - is dead. What is there for me now? If I return to the Glassred mansion, I am certain to be held accountable for running away and keeping my lady in captivity. Such crimes will result in my hanging, especially when it is revealed that I helped keep so many other women here. Gumina was the highest in status, but I doubt she alone will accuse me of being the duke's accomplice. I took them to and from his chambers, cooked their meals, emptied their chamberpots, and mended their dresses. I cared for Lukana when morning sickness overwhelmed her, and held back Mikulia's hair when she became ill between meals. They will surely remember me, and blame me for any wrongs done to them during their stay. It will not matter that I was kind to them, nor that their time in this manor was not unpleasant. Sateriajis and I cared for them, and we were never unkind. They were members of his harem, and he saw no reason for cruelty. It pleased him to treat them well, and I followed his orders willingly. _

_ My life has been forfeit since I first stepped within the Venomania mansion. _

_ All of those women have people waiting for them, families and friends. Mikulia had a man willing to kill for her. As for myself, I have had no one since my mother, the Glassred chambermaid, and my father, the head butler, died of illness when I was young. I have spent my life in service to first Gumina, and now my lord Sateriajis. What is there for me now?_

_ I am alone._

_ As is my lord._

_ My gaze fastens upon him as I realize this. Loneliness drove him to trade his soul, but it was more than his desire to attract all those women. He also lost his parents as a child, to the same illness which stole my own. He clung to Gumina because she was the only person willing to be kind to him, and even she turned away from him in scorn. He would try to hold her, kiss her, and she would always taunt him with claims that he was but half the man her other admirers were. I am certain that he did this in part to show her that he was more than they, a better man than she ever dreamed. _

_ Now he is all alone in Hell, burning by himself. There was not enough time to give him memories to give him comfort, and he is without friends or family. _

_ I know it was his choice, and yet..._

_ Nobody should have to be alone. _

_ There was poison on that dagger, and his blood has spread across the floor. There is more than enough. _

_ I dip my free hand into the purplish pool, raising it to the light. His blood glistens against my skin, shining with a vile light. If I do this, I am damning myself alongside him. Is it worth it? Do I really want to do this?_

_ I stood by and did nothing as that man killed him. I helped him keep those women here, took them to and from his bed. I abandoned my duties to the Glassred family, and did not even try to rescue my lady. I did nothing to stop him from condemning himself to the flames. I never stopped Gumina when she mocked him, never stood in his defense in all the years I knew him. I left him to face his pain alone, because it was not my place to help him. _

_ I love him. _

_ His blood is salty upon my tongue, and the poison adds a bitter spice as it slides down my throat. I scoop more into my palm, mindful of his hand within my lap, and swallow the mixture. More and more, until the tiles are smeared and swirled with purple and crimson and my lips are stained. My heart races, losing its rhythm, and it becomes harder to breathe. It is working._

_ I stretch out beside him, clutching his hand tightly in mine. As the spasms rack my body, I muster the strength to press one final kiss to his slack mouth. I will soon join him in Hell, and he will never be alone again. Even if we suffer for all eternity, it will be enough just to be with him. I cannot shield him, but I will share his torment. _

_ Now, let us burn as one. _


End file.
